Man convicted of Beloit murder

JANESVILLE  A jury Friday found a Beloit man guilty of first-degree intentional homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide in connection with a November 2009 shooting.

After hearing a week of testimony, the jury on Friday convicted Antonio Lavel Mance, 28, according to a news release from the Rock County District Attorney’s Office.

The homicide charge carries a mandatory life sentence, and the attempted homicide carries up to 60 years of imprisonment.

According to trial testimony, witnesses saw Mance shooting 22 times into a vehicle. Mance shot and killed the driver, Derrick Kimber, and shot and tried to kill passenger Martell Rodgers, the release states.

The incident took place in the southbound lane of Porter Avenue near Keeler Avenue in Beloit.

Judge James P. Daley revoked Mance’s bond and scheduled sentencing for 2 p.m. Oct. 26. At that time, Daley will decide if or when Mance will become eligible for parole on the life sentence and whether the second sentence will run concurrently or consecutively to the life sentence.